Who should you entrust with the delivery of agricultural machinery you bought in America: the seller or a Ukrainian logistics company?

Many American sellers of agricultural machinery provide the option of sales with delivery to a European port using sea freight. Initially, this appears to be a highly appealing choice, as the sender takes on the primary responsibility for transportation. Your only task is to hire a trucking company to retrieve the equipment from the European port and deliver it to Ukraine.

But our experience shows that in 90% of cases, it does not work that way. As practice shows, the sender and the buyer do not understand each other and interpret the agreements differently. Therefore, we were often hired to settle or complete the transportation and communicate with American shippers.

We have seen how the transportation of equipment becomes a nightmare for customers who bought equipment on CIF terms or with delivery to the port of arrival.

Let’s look at the main difficulties that arise with CIF most often:

• The agricultural machinery has been sitting in the port of arrival, for example, Bremerhaven in Germany, for a week now, and you are still unaware of its status. The sender neglected to provide information about the exact time of arrival, preventing you from arranging transportation to pick up the machinery from the port and deliver it to Ukraine. Besides the extended delivery time, there’s likely to be an increase in costs as well. This is because you’ll have to cover the expenses associated with storing the equipment in the port, and that can be a costly affair.
• You won’t receive the necessary documents for intra-port forwarding at the port of arrival, subsequent transportation to Ukraine, and customs clearance on time. These documents will be sent to you upon request, provided you mention any missing items. An incomplete or inaccurately filled set of documents can result in delays and increased costs, which you will be required to cover in full.
• Communication throughout the delivery process tends to be prolonged, with every inquiry or question resulting in a slow trickle of information. It’s highly likely that you won’t receive comprehensive details about how your equipment will be delivered and the associated nuances. Beyond the time zone differences affecting response speed, it seems the senders don’t prioritize engaging in effective communication. While we value brevity with the belief that “Brevity is the sister of talent”, it’s crucial for us that our customers fully comprehend our actions, timelines, and the necessary information or documents required from them to ensure a smooth shipment without delays or additional costs. We won’t inundate you with trivial details, but rest assured, you’ll be promptly informed about everything you need and want to know.
• When delivering on CIF terms, there is a high probability of overstatement of the cost. It is likely to be hidden in the cost of the equipment itself. We always advise you to ask the sender for a breakdown: you need to separate the price per unit of equipment and the cost of delivery, which the sender offers to organize.

We do not mean to scare you in any way. If you have no other options, then, of course, you should agree to the delivery of equipment on CIF terms. However, if you are reading this article, you understand who you can contact. At least to make a rate calculation and check whether the shipping cost offered by the sender will not cost you half a combine.

Why should you trust us with the transportation of equipment from the United States?

• We do not sell equipment, but specialize only in organizing the transportation of large agricultural machinery and special equipment from the United States. We have focused all our team’s efforts on refining processes, developing routes, and establishing a network of professional partners specifically for oversized cargo.
• We have direct contracts with shipping lines. This allows us to offer you the best rates for sea freight.
• We know the specifics of communication with American shippers. We understand what, how, and when to ask them, and what pitfalls there may be. We help make communication with the shipper efficient and simple.
• We take responsibility. We adhere to all agreed terms and conditions and do not run away from responsibility if something goes wrong through our fault.
• We are always in touch and ready to answer all your questions. You don’t have to worry about not being able to contact us. We not only transport your equipment, but also take care of the relationship with you. A human approach is our basic principle of interaction with customers and partners.

Contact us to organize the transportation of your oversized agricultural machinery and special equipment from America, or for logistics advice.